A FISH COULD LOVE A BIRD
by
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Four is an unlucky number. Poor four. Picked on because Chinese people pronounce it si which sounds similar to their word for death. There we sat, on Flight 414 in seats 44A and 44B as we left the Vancouver Airport en route to Kuala Lumpur. All those fours did not bode well for our new life together in Malaysia. My clammy white hand was enveloped by the dry darker hand of Wong Lee Chen, my husband of two weeks. In spite of my cosy buttercup-yellow sweater and a blanket stamped Air Malaysia wrapped around my knees, I felt cold. Sweat beaded on my forehead and my scalp felt as tight as a shrunken wool toque. Even my red curls felt more tightly sprung than usual.
I had just said goodbye to three of my loves: my mother, my father, and my country. Only minutes ago, my parents and I had stood like valiant soldiers in the Vancouver Airport, bidding farewell. Without any warning, I found myself weeping softly. Just as suddenly, my quiet tears escalated into a noise that resembled an animal headed for slaughter. My mother, though more restrained, followed suit. Dad, with his own tears barely managing not to overflow, put his strong arms around us. Chen stood on the sidelines appearing uneasy. There would be no hugging in public for him. Besides, this was an intense and private time for my family. My leaving would be the second huge loss my parents had been dealt in three months. At departure time, I was inclined not to look back, but I knew my dad would wave until we were completely out of sight. He did. I blew kisses and Chen waved as we walked away backwards. Passing through the security gate screamed of finality. If I wanted to run back to Mom and Dad, now was the time. For a fleeting moment it was tempting. I inched closer to my sweetheart.
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About the Book
A FISH COULD LOVE A BIRD recounts the interracial marriage between Lauren, a Caucasian Canadian artist, and Chen, a Chinese Malaysian physician, who met at the University of British Columbia. The newly-weds will live with his parents—Wong, a rubber plantation owner, and Tan, who runs a beauty salon.
Lauren, coming directly from a privileged life in Vancouver with her BFA degree in her suitcase, faces crucial challenges entering the home and culture of a Chinese family. Feeling like an alien, she is battered by superstitions, treated with mysterious potions from the apothecary and pressured from the beginning to have a boy baby. As eldest son, Chen is torn between the bounden duty to his parents and the expectations of his feisty, energetic wife.
The novel gives a close look at many facets of Malaysian life—from hot ginger compresses to devils peeking in windows. In the face of overwhelming socio-cultural differences, can the marriage of Lauren and Chen survive?
About the Author
Sheila Clarke lived in Malaysia for six years. While there she worked at the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) as an ESL volunteer. It was there that her first novel, A Fish Could Love A Bird, was conceived. Sheila is the author of Watering Silk Flowers—caring for a mother with Alzheimer’s.
She lives with her husband in Vancouver and Sorrento, British Columbia.